


Wherever the future will lead us

by Prisca



Category: The Faculty (1998)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-05
Updated: 2016-02-05
Packaged: 2018-05-18 08:33:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5914645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prisca/pseuds/Prisca
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Casey is ready to move on, but is Zeke willing to let him go?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wherever the future will lead us

>It was over now. The time together with Zeke. Only half an hour ago Casey had still felt like flying. Zeke always made him feel like that. Though it had been out of every debate from the beginning, that it was more than just sex what connected them. Not a relationship or something similar, though they met regularly for some months now. Since they had discovered that they had something in common. They both preferred to have sex with another guy. Though Zeke was flirting and dating with girls too, maybe he was bi and not gay. But Casey had refused to think much about this fact.

Zeke was an experienced lover and willing to ignore the first, awkward tries of Casey. For sure it hadn't been a big surprise for him that he was still a virgin. But with a slightly amused smile on his lips he had made him forget the world around him, when he started to tease him with his lips, his hands, caressing at first, later a bit more demanding. It was like a wonderful dream: Zeke Tyler did show interest in him. And it was not just a one-time experience.

But Casey knew, their time was up now. Things were clear, as they had always been. Two weeks ago they had graduated. In autumn, Casey would move to Boston for College. Zeke would stay back here, still not sure what to do with his future. A summer was still lying ahead of them. And Casey had secretly hoped, that they maybe could spend some more time together. But then, some weeks ago, Zeke had talked about the summer house, his parents owned in Florida.

"Right at the beach," he said.  
"Have you ever been in Miami?"

No, of course not. Miami was for rich people. Casey would have to struggle with the tuition fee for College despite the fund his grandma had set up for him. When he went on vacation with his parents it would usually be the farm of his uncle in Idaho. But it didn't surprise him that Zeke's parents owned a summer residence in Miami. They had an own company and their house in Herrington was more a palace. And for sure Zeke preferred to spend the summer in Miami instead here, in good old and boring as hell Herrington.

Despite his disappointment, all Casey could do, was to accept this. Nevertheless, he felt a thick lump in his throat, when he thought about the last hours with Zeke, the last time, he had kissed him, pulled him up to fuck him into oblivion. So, this was the end? He took a deep breath and set up. Time to take a shower. And to leave. Before it got embarrassing.

"What are you doing," Zeke asked and stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, Casey actually was not into smoking, but it looked so hot when Zeke stretched out on the bed afterward, only dressed in his boxers, one arm behind his head. Then he would grab for his cigarettes, which were always lying on the small table next to the king-sized bed, together with the condoms and the lube.  
"Curfew? Thought your parents would be a bit more generous now, after graduation."

"Oh, they are."  
Casey forced a smile onto his face.  
"But I still have a lot to do. Get my stuff together. And tomorrow I will go to the mall early, buy some films and a few magazines for the flight. At Saturday, my mom has planned a farewell party."  
He rolled with his eyes when he thought about this, but he knew better than to talk it out of her, it helped her to distract herself from panic and concern.

"Hm?"  
Zeke frowned and suddenly looked somehow dark.  
"The flight? So you plan to move to Boston that soon?"

"No, not Boston."  
Casey shook his head.  
"I guess, I have told you about it, that I applied for this excavation project in Rosh Ha'ayin, near Tel Aviv. They are working at a 1500 years old byzantine monastery this year. I got the invitation about two weeks ago after one of the other students bailed out."

Stunned Zeke stared at him.  
"Israel? You can't be serious! How long will you stay there?"

"About eight weeks. I'm sure it will be a lot of fun. And I can call myself glad that I got in last minute. The University of Tel Aviv, who is heading the research group, only accepts a handful of foreign students every year. And I have not even started with College."

"Your parents let you go to Israel all on your own? Your mom already freaks out when she thinks about you, moving to Boston."

Casey laughed.  
"Well, she will have to get used to it. I'm studying ancient history and archeology, so excavations will be a part of my job. Though I admit, she would have preferred it, when I would opt for photography."

"Great!"  
Zeke stared at him with narrowed eyes.  
"And when do you wanted to tell me?"

"What do you mean?"  
Casey huffed slightly. Wait, this was not part of their relationship, wasn't it? They both had had an own life, Casey with his Chess- and Photo clubs. Zeke with parties, clubs, and working at his beloved GTO. It had been just sex, good sex, between them. Well, sometimes they chatted about trivial stuff, they had even watched a DVD once or twice, but that was all.  
"You knew that I would go to College after summer."

"Quite so. **After** summer. I thought we would go to Florida for some weeks."

Now Casey felt out of words. What? Zeke wanted to go to Florida together with him? He tried to remember their talk about it und finally shook his head.

"You did never ask me," he murmured.

And his heart was up to his mouth. So, what was this supposed to mean? That Zeke wasn't ready for their parting? That he didn't want their ... agreement come to an end here and now? He wanted to go to Florida with Casey, spend some time at a house at the beach? Wow.

"I've asked you if you had ever been Miami."

True, he did this. But never ever Casey would have read this as an invitation. Inwardly he cringed. Yes, he wanted this, more time together with Zeke, not only some stolen hours. No curfews, no parents, no close-minded, curious neighbors. Just he and Zeke, days ... and nights at the ocean. Maybe a club now and then. Miami was well-known for famous clubs. Casey was not much into clubbing, but maybe, together with Zeke, it would be fun.

Just ... when he decided to go to Florida before he finally moved to Boston in three months, this would have consequences for his future, his dreams. He would have to leave Zeke behind sooner or later, but his future was lying ahead of him. It wouldn't be very smart to decide against Israel now.

"Well, maybe you should have better asked me point-blank."  
Casey knew, his voice was trembling slightly.  
"Before I applied for the excavation project. If I bail out now, I will probably not get the chance so soon again to go to Rosh Ha'ayin. Or any other excavation."

Zeke facial expression was hard to read, but it actually never was easy to find out what was going on in his head. He shrugged.

"Sure, I understand. Your future is more important than to waste your time with me."

+++

Casey felt almost relieved when the Goodbye with his parents was over, his mom with tears in her eyes, his dad giving him hugs while telling him, for the umpteenth time, to be careful and to call as soon as he had reached the small apartment complex in Rosh Ha'ayin where he would stay with the other students from the excavation.

His luggage was quickly checked in, only a big tracking backpack with jeans, T-shirts, and an old jacket, mostly practical, he would spend a lot of his time at the byzantine monastery anyway. Maybe the one or the other trip in the surrounding area, but nothing that asked for elegant clothes.

Till boarding he still had 45 minutes left and decided to sit down at the Dunkin' Donuts for a cafe latte and a muffin, he was much too excited for more.

He had never been overseas before, and his longest trip had been an exchange program from school, where he had spent three weeks in California, in Oildale, only a small village like Herrington, without many attractions. Hard to believe that in less than 12 hours he would be at the other side of the world. Casey smiled to himself. Yes, this was his start into a great future.

Though he felt a bit uncomfortable when he thought about the other students. He would meet them for the first time in Israel. A group of fifteen students, nine from the University of Tel Aviv, the others from America, Europe, and even Asia. Beside of a vietnamese girl named Thien Ngo all of them would be older than him and they were obviously all visiting a College already. Would they accept him as one of them?

Casey sipped his cafe and wiped his doubts aside. It wouldn't be half as bad as Herrington High, where he had been the favorite victim of the jocks from the Football-Team for years. The professor, who lead the excavation, had decided to give him this chance, and he would make the best out of it.

The last bite of his Muffin disappeared into his mouth. The same moment he stiffened. This couldn't be! He was only dreaming. Soon enough he would wake up, his mom would await him in the kitchen with a big lunch packet as if he would starve on the flight while his father already put the backpack into the car. Then it would be time to go to the airport in Columbus ...

"Hey," Zeke greeted him, with a slight grin on his face.

Casey gasped. The last he had expected to meet here. The last he wanted to meet. He had been thankful that the last days had been busy ones, with packing and shopping and even the farewell party he had welcomed because all this had kept him from thinking too much about Zeke.

"What ... what are you doing here," he asked after finally recovering from the shock.

"What are people usually doing at an airport?"  
Zeke dropped down onto the chair next to Casey's.

"Ähm ... Florida !? But ..."

"No, of course not. If I didn't get it wrong, this is the waiting area for the flight to Tel Aviv."

Of course, he was **not** wrong. But this didn't make any sense. He, Casey, was supposed to be here because he planned to go to Tel Aviv. Zeke wanted to go to Florida. He licked his dry lips.

"I don't get it," he muttered.

"I had to make a decision. Because you obviously are not interested in Miami."

"What kind of decision?"

For a moment, Zeke looked at him pensively, as if he wasn't sure what to say. And Casey felt an uneasiness rushing through his body, he had never felt in Zeke's presence before. This was so not him, usually, it looked as if he didn't take life all too serious, everything was just a game and he was the one who framed the rules. In the moment, he looked almost ... unsure.

"I wanted to go to Florida with you to spend more time together," Zeke finally answered, his voice calm, but his flickering eyes told Casey that he wasn't.  
"Find out ... if there is more between us than just the sex. I guess, maybe we could make it work ... "

Casey wasn't sure how he managed it to keep breathing. The whole world had suddenly stopped to turn around. How often had he secretly dreamed about this? How many times he had pictured that he and Zeke would have a more serious relationship? But, of course, he had always kept quiet about his wishes, much too afraid to lose what he had. Zeke just was not the guy for a real relationship, he wanted fun, not ... love.

And now, where Casey was ready to leave his old life behind, where a great future was lying ahead of him, suddenly Zeke changed his mind? This was too strange. He almost waited for Zeke bursting into loud laughter, because of his great joke. And about Casey, who had taken his words serious.

"Like, having a relationship? More than just ..."  
He remembered that they were sitting in the middle of an airport, with many other people around, and he blushed slightly.  
"... then what we had?"

Zeke smirked slightly.  
"Something like that, yeah. I can't promise you anything, but ... I can let you go neither. Not without giving it, at least, a try."  
He paused and finally shrugged.  
"Better don't ask, I've never said shit like that before."

Casey swallowed hard, his heart was pounding frantically. Holy shit, Zeke really meant it, right? Pictures of Florida crossed his mind. The beaches, the palm trees, the sun. And he, enjoying all the beauty, together with Zeke, all days long. And at night, they would find a secret beach, make love under the sky ... Urgh ... The heat was rushing through his body, he forced himself to think about anything else. More realistic. Israel. The excavation and what it meant for his future at College.

Zeke voice finally brought him back into the here and now.  
"If you think, this is a stupid idea, that's okay."

Casey searched for eye contact, Zeke's eyes so brown, so soft, with a touch of sadness. But calm, he was so used to it to live with a hidden pain, people had hurt him too often. But he was strong, he always managed it to move on. Suddenly Casey felt the urge to pull him into his arms and to kiss all his pain away, promise him, that he would never leave him, never hurt him. But it wasn't that easy.

Slowly he shook his head.  
"It's not a stupid idea, Zeke," he said in a slightly shaking voice.  
"I would like to give us a chance, too. It's just ... bad timing, you know? I did enter into a commitment when I accepted the invitation of the University of Tel Aviv. They already did pay for the flight, the apartment and all. And they expect me to do my job at the monastery. I can't go to Florida together with you, not this summer."

A wide smile spread on Zeke's face and made Casey almost feel dizzy.

"I know," Zeke answered.  
"And I would never ask you for that. That doesn't mean, though ..."  
He reached into his pocket and put a flight-ticket onto the table.  
"... that I can't change my plans and go to Tel Aviv. If this is okay for you."

Suddenly Casey felt tears pricking in his eyes. Good god, he had managed it to ride out the Goodbye of his parents without crying and now he was acting like an overreacting drama queen. There was nothing Zeke hated more. But he just looked at him, suddenly he bent forward for a light kiss. Not caring about the other people around. Zeke Tyler, who had always told him that in his eyes a coming out was the most stupid thing a gay guy could do, was kissing him in front of everyone's eyes. What could be more shocking?

An announcement over the loudspeaker interrupted them.  
"Passengers for the flight Columbus Airport to Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv, are asked to keep available their boarding passes. We will soon start with the boarding."

Zeke smiled.  
"So, what do you think?"

"You want to come with me?"  
Casey needed another confirmation to believe that he was not dreaming.  
"But, it's not a vacation trip, Zeke. Not for me. Most of the time I will spend at the monastery."

"I don't care, as long as I know that you are close. And maybe I could ask for a job as a helper, I guess some helping hands for the basic work are always needed at excavations."

"Yeah."  
Casey smirked.  
"But these are usually jobs for the locals. A good chance for them to earn some extra money, but for you ... I'm afraid, you did make more money at Highschool during lunch break than they will get for a day of hard work. At least, food and refreshments are for free."

"Well, this sounds great for me," Zeke said and grinned while he grabbed for Casey's hand to pull him up from the chair.  
"C'mon. It's time for the first step into a new life."

**the end**  


**Author's Note:**

> written for fffc = challenge 16.4. - byzantine
> 
> also posted at LJ (fffc comm and my journal)


End file.
